


When I Answer You Pretend Not To Hear - 2

by LilyGardens



Series: A Queen Of Many Names [2]
Category: Original Work
Genre: F/M, Lilith - Freeform, lillith - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-05-26
Updated: 2015-05-26
Packaged: 2018-04-01 07:24:42
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,270
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4010986
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LilyGardens/pseuds/LilyGardens
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Kit meets his match when a mysterious woman comes into his life, and strange things start happening.</p>
            </blockquote>





	When I Answer You Pretend Not To Hear - 2

He stared at the deep amber colored bottle, with its gold etched letters, his heart hammering so loud his ears were ringing. Then the panic set in. He raced through the house, going from room to room and finding no one there. Even checking the closets, under the bed, behind the shower curtain. She'd left no trace, save for the bottle, sitting on his mother's magazine table, inconspicuously in the dark corner. And of course there was that alien, trademark scent. A mix of Jasmine and something else, maybe dried herbs? Kit cautiously made his way toward the table, flicking on the overhead lights, one strangely cast directly on that corner, giving the bottle a sort of spotlight. 

Carefully picking up the bottle, and weighing its contents, it seemed slightly heavier than he thought it would, and it was slightly larger than a standard size bottle, and he'd never seen any wine bottle with letters engraved in the glass, like this one. It was also slightly warm, and then he looked at the cork, and sniffed it. The scent was a cross between something sweet and something on fire, more complex riddles for him to figure out. 

Kit put the bottle back down, scratching his head and looking around the room again. On top of not quite being able to remember everything that happened that night, then her disappearing, and the strange discovery he'd made at the old building, he was completely dumbfounded. Mostly because aside from the bottle which was now taking up inhabitance in his dining room, all signs led to the fact that this woman didn't exist, save for in his head. 

The doctors office was cold, and Kit was glad for once he'd worn an extra layer, his fleece pullover, cutting out some of the chill from the cold waiting room. The receptionist had him sign in and then he was quickly ushered into the private exam room, sitting on the table, swinging his feet like a little kid. Truth was he hated doctors, but when he'd been training for his last movie, he had to see the doctor to make sure he was healthy during training, and for exhaustion when it turned out he was overdoing it on the set. 

Dr. Presley had known Kit and his family for years. The older man beamed when he opened the door and saw Kit waiting for him. “Well it's due time you've been in for a visit! Kit what have you done to yourself now? Always breaking or spraining something I'm sure.” 

Kit laughed, halfheartedly and tried to smile, “actually I came to talk to you about something else that's happened.. erm... happening, to me.” The doctor turned, a concerned look on his face. “No broken bones, then? What is it?” 

He took a deep breath, rubbing his palms together, “Ah.. I don't really know how to say this, but.. I think I've been hallucinating. Seeing things, a... a woman, to be specific.” 

The doctor didn't say anything, so he continued, “it started the night of Halloween..” Kit almost laughed at how his voice sounded like he was narrating a horror film, “I met a woman, well I thought I met a woman, at the pub by my flat. And we spoke briefly, she gave me her card... there's another thing that isn't going to make sense, honestly... and then I followed her to the restroom because I saw her go in, and she disappeared, even though there wasn't anywhere for her to have vanished, to.” 

“And then... I... I went to see her and I think maybe something happened, but I don't remember what. We were talking, and she gave me this wine... and then I woke up the next morning alone in her bed. But the odd part is- well this is where it's going to sound very strange – the building I went to visit her in, is abandoned. And the night before when I went to see her.... it wasn't.” 

The doctors brow had furrowed while he listened to his story. Kit shook his head, “I know this all sounds like nonsense, but I don't have a better explanation for it. The only thing I've got of hers is this card she gave me,” he handed the card to his doctor, “and then a few days ago, the day after Halloween when all this had happened, when I came home, there was a bottle of wine in my dining room. I didn't put it there, but it was the same bottle I'd seen the night I went to see her.” 

Dr. Presley looked at the card, “they don't make cards like these anymore. I know this address. That building's been empty for over 20 years, Kit!” 

“I know,” Kit replied, giving him an apologetic look. “So can you help me make sense of this?” 

“You say she gave you this card, with this address and.. what did you see when you went there?” 

He gave the doctor a long sigh, before replying, “it was furnished... her flat. And the lights were on in the foyer. But the next day the place looked just as it does now, dusty, broken windows and busted lights, and the upstairs was completely desolate.” 

“Hmmm... do you think maybe she drugged you? When you met at the pub?” 

That's when it dawned on Kit, he'd gone to the pub alone that night. His face twisted in confusion, “no I... I was alone. I drank alone, and I bumped into her after. So I would have had to imagined the entire meeting at the building after, wouldn't I?” 

“Kit, have you been under any stress lately? Anything happen while at work?” 

He shook his head, “my work days – or should I say nights – were fine. I've been getting enough rest and I feel alright.”

“And this wine you say is at your house? You don't think maybe you just purchased it and forgot it was there?” 

“Doctor it's- it's a strange bottle, I didn't buy it. I've never seen anything like it, maybe I imagined it and when I go home it will be gone but... no I didn't buy that bottle.” 

The doctor took a long moment to think, before responding, “well, Kit I don't know what to say, this all sounds peculiar. Sometimes stress or a traumatic experience can bring on nightmares and hallucinations, but this doesn't sound like that's the case. I'm going to refer you to a psychiatrist friend of mine.” Kit watched him write the name and address down and hand him the slip of paper. “I don't think there's anything I can prescribe for hallucinations at this point, but he might be able to assist, and then we can take it from there if we need to run any tests, if it's something serious, but I don't think it is, Kit.” 

Kit got his routine check up while he was there, and then made his way back home. Opening the door and cautiously making his way into the dining room, to find that the bottle was still there. And his phone began buzzing in his pocket. “Hey Nick.” 

“Kit! You find your mystery woman yet?” Nick laughing on the other end of the line. Kit couldn't help but chuckle, “Gods... no, but you might want to see this.” 

“See what, mate? You've got the boogey man in your closet now or something?” 

Two hours later, Nick was standing in his dining room, and staring open mouthed at the bottle, Kit handed to him. “Shit! This thing's heavy, ain't never seen a bloody wine bottle like this before.” 

“Neither have I,” Kit said, flatly. “But it was just sitting there when I got home from your place.” 

“Bloody hell, your mysterious she demon left you a gift? What's this writing mean?” 

Kit shrugged, “I'd like to know, same as you. And I don't know who or what she is, or how she got in here, but I'm starting to get really freaked out.” 

Nick laughed, “must've been one helluva shag, mate.” He looked the bottle over, and then sniffed the cork and recoiled in disgust, shoving the bottle back into Kit's hands. “Jesus, what the fuck is that?” 

Kit looked at him, puzzled, “what's wrong?” 

“Don't you smell that? Fucking thing smells like death!” 

“What?!” Kit gave him an odd look and sniffed the cork again. “I... don't know what you mean it just smells like something sweet and burning wood.” 

Nick rubbed his nose, and turned for the door, “I've gotta go man, whatever that is, stay away from her... it. I've gotta get out of here.” 

“Nick???” He watched his friend close the door behind him without another word, then heard the sound of his car starting up. He'd never seen Nick behave in such a way, just taking off without explanation and seemingly repulsed by whatever was in the bottle. More oddities for Kit to ponder. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

His new shrink was in Camden. Kit laughed to himself about having to see a shrink, and because of a woman, no less. It was a small office, overlooking some shoppes and a pub across from them. His doctor was a male, older gentleman in his fifties, who's surname was George, but he preferred to be called, Thomas. He had a large sofa chair and the trademark chaise lounge. Thomas chuckled softly when he saw the way Kit was looking at it. “I have that just in case anyone actually wants to lay down during a session, but no one ever does as of yet.” 

Kit decided the sofa across from the doctor's chair would suffice. “So Kit, tell me more about um... Doctor Presley said you think you have been having hallucinations?” Kit nodded, and proceeded to tell him the entire back story of the past weeks events. From going to the pub alone, and not really knowing or remembering why he'd done that, to waking up the next day in a strange woman's bed, and a day later coming back to find the place abandoned for some good time, and the strange woman and her bed, and the rest of her furnishings, gone. And then he told him about the card and the wine bottle, and showed him the card. 

“Interesting! So then we know that you at least had perhaps one interaction with this woman in red, and then... the rest maybe you imagined? As for the wine bottle, I would need to see it, but I do believe I know someone who could tell you the bottle's origins. I'll give you her number when we're wrapping up, she's an anthropologist, wine historian, and has been studying culinary history and the like for 2 decades now. And she'd probably be able to tell you who lived in that old building while we're at it. She also owns a family wine shop.” He paused, turning the card over and then handing it back to Kit. 

“But what I would like to ask you is have you had any noticeable sexually repressed thoughts? Do you normally bring many women home?” 

Kit shook his head, while at the same time in deep thought, “sexual um... no I don't think there's anything that's repressed, no. And I don't bring many women home, or go home with many.” 

“Any stress, or maybe a bad breakup that might have caused stress, leading to these hallucinations? Any trouble sleeping or unusual sleeping patterns? Or perhaps something troubling you, that caused you to do things you don't remember doing? Like going to the pub alone, did you think you'd gone with someone?” 

He looked at his hand and then at Thomas, “no I... it's not that I thought I went with someone. It's that I don't really remember how I got there. Just that I was having my beer when I saw her, we spoke near the restrooms and then she was gone and I didn't see her again until later that night.” 

“And you don't normally follow women home in the manner that you said you did that night..” 

“No...” Kit frowned, recalling the night he walked up to what he thought was her flat. Her voice, the scent of her perfume, her eyes...

He hadn't told the doctor about her eyes. “She had these red sort of, tinted, reddish- I don't know.. her eyes looked very dark, but they had this red tint to them. And she was wearing red.. red lipstick, red nails and toenails, red dress earlier and then a dark purple at the flat, and she... when she looked at me it just, made me feel so strange.” 

The doctor listened intently, watching Kit's facial expression change as he described the woman he'd seen. “Do you remember having sex with her? Anything peculiar about that?” 

“I... don't remember anything past her kissing me,” he said, pausing. “I mean I know I was- she undressed me and I know I was in bed with her – or I thought I was – but I don't remember what I did, or what she did to me during any of it.” 

Kit watched the doctor rise from his chair and make his way over to a large mahogany desk, pulling out a notepad and writing something down. “I would like to try something with you, Kit,” he began, “I normally don't prescribe many drugs to my patients, unless I feel it would help; that they really need it.” 

He tore off the sheet from his prescription pad, handing it to Kit. “In this case I'd like to at least try this and see if it helps. I don't think you'll need to keep taking it, but I'd like you to take one pill daily, before bed, for the next two weeks, and then come back to see me.” 

Kit stared at the paper, and then looked up at Thomas, “what is... Mlarindar? I've never heard of that.” 

“Well... that's because it's still in the experimental stages, and has only been tested on people with severe hallucinations and schizophrenics. It's something the pharmaceutical team, and I, have been working on for some time. Something I think could help many people with this problem, and from what I've seen, and from what you just told me, I'd like to try it on you. It's an anti-psychotic. It's helped patients with psychotic episodes and also hallucinations.” 

He gave the doctor a curious look, “you want me to try an experimental drug that's only been tested on a few mentally ill patients?” 

“I know it may sound odd, but I have invested a lot of time and money into this drug, and outside of mental health institutions, I haven't had the opportunity to test it out with a patient. I think you're a good candidate.” 

“What um... if it's experimental where do I get it?” 

Thomas pointed to the address printed on the top of the paper. “You go there and you tell them your Thomas George's patient, they can fill your prescription, as that's where our facility is. It's a private building.” 

Kit flicked his eyes from the paper, to the doctor, and back again, frowning. “Of course, if you notice anything or the hallucinations increase before the two weeks are up, please contact me immediately.” 

“Are... there side effects?” 

The doctor smiled, “well it will make you a bit groggy, so best to take it before bed, and best not to drink while you're on that. Oh! Let me give you Ana's information, I've got her card, you can call or just go to the shop where she works. She's usually there after 12 noon, just bring your bottle you've procured and tell her hello from Thomas.” 

He stood up, and shook the doctors hand, taking the card from him. “Thank you, I guess I'll let you know how it goes, then.” 

Kit left Dr. George's office even more uneasy than he'd arrived. He looked at the address, and it was north of where he was now, and probably would take him 30 minutes or longer to get there. The whole ordeal seemed unusual to him, so he decided to postpone picking up the mystery drug. However... He glanced at the card with the aforementioned “wine historian's” number on it, and decided he'd pay her a visit tomorrow. He was more interested in finding out more about the bottle, than he was in taking some pill that he more than likely didn't need, and from a doctor who wanted to use him as a guinea pig, no less. 

One thing was certain, he did decide to forgo the alcohol, pulling off his pullover and the long sleeve tshirt he had on underneath and making his way into the bathroom to draw himself a hot bath. Maybe all this had been caused by him drinking too much? Or what if he really did meet this woman and she drugged him, coerced him into making a copy of his house key and was playing some sort of weird mind games with him. He didn't think an anti-psychotic drug was his answer, and that within itself seemed strange. Why would a psychiatrist give him a drug that hadn't been approved? 

He peeled his jeans and boxers off, and stepped into the deep, jacuzzi style tub. One of many luxuries he'd not afforded himself in a while. He hadn't fallen asleep in the tub either, in a long time, but he let his thoughts drift, his eyes fluttered closed, and soon he was dreaming. The faint scent of jasmine filled his nose. He could see her standing in a dark corridor, just close enough that he could make out her lips moving, but he couldn't hear anything coming from her mouth. Reaching for him, he felt something snake around the back of his neck, but when he turned his head, no one was there. He turned back around and Lily was standing directly in front of him, lips still moving. He reached for her and the floor gave way beneath him, he was falling. The sound of splashing water. When he opened his eyes again he was underwater, and she was floating, right in front of him, her lips still moving. He started screaming. But no one can hear you scream, underwater. 

Kit woke up with a start, water from the tub sloshing over onto the tiles below. He was gasping for breath, and he could still see her clear as day, still smell her, as if she was standing right in front of him. He grabbed a towel, wrapping it around his waist and padding down the hallway to the dining room. The bottle was still there, but the room felt strange. Like something was vibrating, in the air surrounding him. Then he felt a warm breeze coming from his left. Kit turned and looked, but the air wasn't on, and he knew all the windows were closed. It was the sort of faint breeze you feel, when someone briskly walks past you. He ruffled the dampness out of his hair and shook his head quickly to wake himself up, and make sure he wasn't hallucinating or dreaming. It had been a long day, and he was exhausted. He turned and headed back to his bedroom. Sleep, right about now, sounded like a great idea. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The streets were quiet now, Thomas had stayed late at the office, reading up on some notes, and researching a facility overseas that also studied and treated the mentally ill and those with sleeping disorders. His eyes were getting tired. Dr. George pulled his glasses off and rubbed his weary eyes. He'd been at it for hours, searching for anyone who might make a good candidate for the drug and a new test study. But this one, this Kit, he thought, would be perfect if everything panned out. 

Out of the corner of his eye he saw something shift in the darkness of his dimly lit office. He put his glasses back on, squinting so he could see better. 

Something was standing, at the far end of the room. But it wasn't just standing, he squinted again and stood up. “Who's there?” 

It was vibrating. 

A tall, black, shadowy figure, that seemed to be taking form right in front of him. 

“Who is that? Who's there?? The office is closed, now.” Thomas came out from behind his desk, fully aware that whoever it was, they'd snuck in somehow. He was sure he'd locked the door downstairs...

He moved a little closer, and the shadowy figure took shape. She didn't look like any of his patients, and she looked to be wearing nothing but a black slip, that came to mid-thigh. Her dark hair disheveled, and her eyes.... 

Her eyes had a strange, red tint to them. 

“Who.. who are you? Are you hurt? My girl has something happened to you where are your clothes?” 

She was whispering, he couldn't make out what, and with each step her body began to vibrate, a little more. By the time she was a only few feet in front of him, she was vibrating so violently – her body shifting left and right – that he couldn't make out her features anymore. His eyes tried to make sense of what he was seeing. Was she seizing? Having convulsions? Thomas took another step closer, and her hand shot out, and grabbed him by the throat. 

He struggled, letting out a yelp and trying to pull away, breaking free for a split second and turning to make a run for the door. She seized him from behind, dragging him back to far wall where he'd first noticed her in her shadowy form. The more he struggled, the tighter she gripped his shoulder, until he felt a piercing, sharp pain, and screamed. She had dug her fingers into his shoulder, and he was bleeding, he could see her fingers embedded into his shoulder, the blood running down his jacket, and he was screaming uncontrollably in pain, and in fear of what he saw when he turned to look behind him. 

His shrieks of terror could be heard all the way downstairs, and out onto the street. Then all at once, the screaming stopped. The empty street silent again. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Dr. George told him it was a wine shop, he had failed to tell Kit that it was more of a winery than a shop. The place was huge, and yes they had a storefront, but they were also one of the biggest in the UK. He'd come early and looked around the shop, found that they had a few labels he'd never heard of and would have to come back to purchase on another day. But he had “his” wine, safe in its satchel, and as he waited he strolled through the endless rows of wine bottles, finding himself quite taken by a few of the red blends. Yet still, as he looked over hundreds of labels, none were anything like what he had hidden away in his messenger bag. 

Ana was a red haired woman in her forties, tall and well rounded, with bright blue eyes and an attractive face. “You're Kit? The one who's sent for me?” Kit turned around, startled, so preoccupied with his wine browsing that he hadn't seen her come up behind him, “oh, hi yes..” he reached out and shook her hand. “Nice to meet you.” 

“You're a.. patient of Thomas, right? He told me there'd be a young man visiting me today, but he didn't tell me he'd be so handsome.” She smiled warmly and took his hand. Kit laughed, blushing, “well thank you for that, I suppose.” 

“Come on back, I've got my own office upstairs.” 

Ana had a large office on the second floor, which was peacefully quiet in contrast to all the buzzing and clamoring that went on elsewhere in the facility. She closed the door after ushering Kit in, and then offered him a seat by her desk. “So.. you've got some strange wine you want me to have a look at?” 

He nodded, and reached into the bag on his lap, pulling out the bottle and handing it to her. Her eyes lit up. “Oh, well this is indeed strange! And what remarkable engraving. Where did you get this?” 

“Ah... someone gave it to me, as a gift.... I think.” 

She glanced up from marveling at the bottle, “you think?” 

Kit cleared his throat and shifted in the chair, “yes, I do believe I have a secret admirer. A woman.. but I've never seen a bottle like that, and I would like to know what the writing means.” 

“She's much more than an admirer if she'd give you this as a gift. This bottle is very old.” 

“Old? How old?” Kit asked. 

Ana pulled her mouth to one side as she looked at it, “at least 3 centuries, and in very good condition. Very thick glass.” She looked to him again, “they don't make glass like this anymore, nor do they engrave glass like this, and this....” she pointed to the gold paint that had been used to highlight the markings, tracing her finger along on of the symbols, “this is real gold. If it were paint it'd chip right off and most or all of it would have been gone by now.. but it looks like they mixed it with something else, maybe another metal, never seen that.” 

She had Kit's full attention, his back was stiff as he watched her go over every detail on the bottle. “Do you happen to know what those symbols mean?” 

Ana frowned, and then shook her head, “similar to aramaic or arabic maybe, but something else.. perhaps something much older and not dated. I'm really impressed by this. So any idea what sort of libations this holds... that this admirer has gifted you with?” 

“I haven't a clue, I know it's wine, and that it doesn't quite taste like any other wine I've had...” 

“You've tasted it?” Ana raised an eyebrow. 

Kit knew he could give her the long version of the story, or just give her the version he remembered in his head, “yes, this woman, she- she and I shared a glass a few weeks ago, she had the same bottle you're holding now. And um.. well I haven't seen her since, so I can't ask her.” 

“That was going to be my next question,” Ana said, thoughtfully gazing at the mystery bottle, “is that if someone gave you this, why didn't you ask your lady friend more about it. Now I'm intrigued, I'd love to talk to her myself.” 

“I would, believe me I would but, I haven't been able to um... find her.” 

“I see,” she said quietly. “Well, do you mind if I take a picture of your bottle? I can show it to a friend of mine who studied linguistics, archeology among other things. He might know what your secret symbols here, are. But that may take a few days. Possibly longer.” 

“Sure,” Kit said, “no that's fine, I can give you my contact information if you like, and maybe you could call me when you find out.” 

He watched Ana take a few camera phone shots of his wine bottle, and gave her his email and phone number. He was about to take the bottle and leave, when the memory of Nick's odd reaction to the cork flashed into his head. “Wait! Can you do me a favor? This might sound strange but... can you smell the cork for me and tell me what you think it reminds you of, if anything?” 

Kit held his breath, as he watched Ana take a whiff of the cork, closing her eyes. “Mmmm...” she paused, Kit crumpled his face in confusion, “is something wrong? Does it, smell off to you?” 

She held up a hand and shook her head, “sweet, something smoky... something... else.” Ana opened her eyes, smiling and handing the bottle back to him. “Whatever it is, it's exquisite!” 

“Oh,” Kit smiled faintly and took the bottle from her, placing it back in her back. “Well the reason I asked is because I have a male friend who, took one whiff of the cork and was just... like... repelled by it or something. He got all weird and said it smelled like death and then he left my house in a rush.” 

Ana gave Kit a strange look. “This mystery lady friend who gave you the bottle.... what is her name?” 

Kit didn't quite understand why her name would have anything to do with the bottle or its contents, but he divulged the information nonetheless. “Her name is Lily. She said it was short for, um... Lillith?” 

Ana paused, frozen where she stood, still wearing a peculiar expression on her face, and then another look, as if she just realized something she hadn't considered. She looked down at the image that was still up on her phone, and then back to Kit. “I will... contact you in a few days,” she said, quickly changing her demeanor. He picked up on it immediately, “Ana, is something the matter? I mean, if there's something I need to know, about the bottle-” 

She turned to face him, “not about the bottle, no. But I can't say more on the subject, I'm sorry. I will be in touch in a few days, but now I've got to get back downstairs. It was nice meeting you, Kit.” 

Ana made her way to the door and opened it for him, her body language making it clear she wanted him out of there as quickly as possible. Kit was confused, and as he walked back downstairs and out of the building, he started thinking about the events of the past few days. Like the mystery woman and her magical wine, the bottle, the strange doctor trying to prescribe drugs to him that he didn't need or want; the way Nick flew out of his home after taking in the scent coming from the bottle. A scent apparently only he could smell. And now this. Ana had been very welcoming and friendly when she greeted him, but when he told her the woman's name she couldn't get him out of her office fast enough. 

Surely things couldn't get any more bizarre. Kit pulled into his parking space, shutting off the engine and pulling the key out of the ignition. He hadn't noticed the police vehicle parked in front of the building, but they'd noticed him. “Mr. Harington?” 

Kit walked up to them, reading their stern expressions, “yes, that's me is... something wrong?” 

A tall, grey haired gentleman approached him, flashing his badge, “DCI Arnold and this is DS Smith, we'd like to ask you a few questions.” 

“Well sure, sure that's fine, but what's all this about?” 

“You're a patient of Dr. Thomas George?” 

Kit felt the lump growing in his throat, “yes. I am.” 

“May we come inside?” 

Kit invited the men in and invited them to sit in the living room, placing his bag on the dining room table. “Okay so, I can answer any questions you want, but can you tell me what's going on?” he said, sitting down on the sofa across from the two men. 

They both looked at each other, and then at Kit. “When's the last time you saw Dr. George?” 

“Just this Thursday. At 10A.M.” he answered. 

“How long have you been seeing Dr. George for therapy?” 

Kit could feel himself growing flustered at not knowing number one, why uniformed police were waiting in front of his home, and two why they wouldn't get to the point. “I'm a new patient so that's my first visit. I was referred by my family doctor.. Dr. Presley. I'm supposed to see Dr. George again in two weeks time.” 

“And what was the nature of your visit to Dr. George?” 

He looked from one to the other, clasping and squeezing his fingers together. “I was having hallucinations and I thought I was seeing things, so my doctor referred me to him.” 

The men exchanged glances again. “He deals with a lot of mental health patients, yeah?” 

Kit shrugged, “as... far as I'm aware he does, yes.” 

“We apologize, Mr. Harington, for all the questions, but you were the only patient we could find of Dr. George's on such short notice. The rest of his patients are mostly institutionalized and unable to carry on a conversation, and the other's were all unreachable except for you.” 

“Well alright,” he said, inhaling deeply. “But you've still not told me why I'm being questioned?” 

Detective Arnold hesitated, “we're trying to find some clues regarding the mystery surrounding.... his death.” 

Kit's face went blank, “death?” 

“Dr. George's ahm... he was found dead early this morning, around 4am. One of the shopkeepers was awakened by loud screaming, so she called the police, and when the police entered his office they found him. But... it's the way they found him.” 

“What's.... what happened to him?” 

The detective looked down at the carpeting, “I don't think I've ever seen anything like this in the 15 years I've been a detective, and if I had not seen it with my own eyes I would have told anyone who described it to me that they were mad.” He paused again, looking up, his eyes meeting Kits. “They found his body in... it was somehow.. fused into the wall. Like it was part of the wall, or like something had been trying to pull him into it. He was facing forward, his face contorted as if he'd been screaming before he died, eyes open. He was still clothed, blood on his shoulder, so whatever did it to him stabbed or clawed at him with something... we had to cut him out of the wall and.. well there isn't much left of the body except the anterior half of him. The rest of him was somehow mixed into the drywall of the foundation. It's as if the wall was... absorbing him.”

Kit listened to the whole story, in disbelief and horror. 

“Most of the muscle, tissue, and organs were all destroyed by, whatever it was. We don't even have a logical explanation for what could have happened. Maybe he was partially cemented into the foundation, but that's an old building, and what's left of his body is still fresh. His dna was mixed in with the building materials, so we have no idea how something like this could happen. I'm willing to believe it was aliens if that would make sense, but I don't believe in aliens... sounds ridiculous, maybe I should start. I just.... his face... it was like something out of a horror film.” 

He understood now. The police were trying to find anything that would make sense of what he'd just been told. 

“Did you notice anything unusual when you met? Anything at all that seemed out of order?” 

Kit shook his head, “we had our session, he gave me some advice and prescribed an anti-psychotic, and then told me to see him again in two weeks. He seemed fine. I just.... I'm sorry I'm having a hard time understanding the way you found him.” 

It was then that the other detective finally piped in, “we can't make sense of it either. Like Detective Arnold just said, I've never seen anything like that. May I ask though, you notice anything strange smelling in the office?” 

Kit picked his head up, “like what?” 

“Like ah... strong smell of flowers or something, strong herbal smell. It was all over the office, but it was strongest on the corpse.” 

The realization hit him, and Kit felt his stomach drop, “flowers....” 

“We thought maybe it was perfume or something like that, we couldn't locate where the scent came from, and the autopsy didn't bring up anything, even though it was all over the corpse. There wasn't anything like it that matched the database.” 

He went white as a sheet, “no... no I haven't smelled anything strange when I was there.” He tried to keep his composure. Could it have been her? And why would she kill his doctor? He could feel himself getting sick, as if the thought alone of a body being pulled through a wall and then made a part of it wasn't enough. “I'm sorry, gentlemen, but I'm not feeling well. I will gladly help any way that I can if you have more questions, but I need to turn in.” His stomach was twisting in knots thinking about what they'd described. It sounded like something from a sci fi horror film, or an anime comic, faces or bodies coming out of the wall, and it scared the shit out of him. 

Kit showed the men to the door, his face had gone pale, his hands clammy, and as soon as they were outside he raced to the bathroom, heaving over the toilet. It was then that he remembered he hadn't eaten all day, and there was nothing but bile in his stomach. There was only one person he knew that smelled like herbs and flowers wherever she went, and now he wasn't sure that person was even human. 

Nothing human could have done what the police described. His body was limp, as he forced himself to stand up, moving over to the sink to splash cold water on his face. He almost didn't recognize himself when he looked in the mirror. Kit pulled his clothes off, getting into a hot shower and reflecting on everything that had happened from the morning until now. Washing his hair and rinsing away the days events made him feel a little better. But throwing up on an empty stomach reminded him he was starving, and he went into the kitchen to fix something to eat. 

He had some chicken and pasta in the fridge, and decided to heat that up. He leaned forward against the counter, watching the contents in the microwave turn, as the digits on the timer switched. He'd left the bottle in his messenger bag on the table. Suddenly being sober didn't sound so appealing. He wanted nothing more than to get shitfaced and forget this day ever happened.

 

“Hmmm...” a woman's sweet sigh, filled the room. The digits ticking away on the microwave. 

“Doctors used to be so much more honest, and trustworthy.” 

The hairs on the back of his neck stood on end, and he felt his knees buckle. 

“And time... hmmph.. I would've gotten here sooner, but I was held up taking care of other matters. It is the reason I sometimes disappear without an explanation.” 

His mouth went dry. He didn't dare turn around, but he had to. He had to know.... He turned slowly, and nearly jumped when he saw her standing behind him. His face couldn't have gone any whiter than the shade it surely was now. His eyes wide with terror. “How... how did you get in here? What do you want?” 

She frowned, and feigned pouting, “Oh.... you don't look very happy to see me! And here I was thinking you'd be elated and want to have a chat with me about all that's transpired.” 

Her black hair was wild in loose curls all over her head, and cascading down her back. She had a black gown on with long sleeves, and when she spun around in front of him, he saw the gown was backless, the hem of the gown covering her bare feet. She looked like a goddess, or your worst nightmare come to life, if you were Kit, and you'd just found out your doctor had been murdered. 

“Are you going to kill me?” he asked. She laughed, it was light, casual and carefree laughter, as she took a step forward and reached out to caress his face. Kit recoiled from her touch. “I wouldn't dream of killing you,” she said softly, still scowling at his reaction. 

“Did you kill that doctor? The one they said they found fused to a wall? That was you that did it, wasn't it?” 

She tossed her head, waving a hand around, “oh him. He's not dead, darling. He's very much alive, although he won't ever be using that body, again. I just put him somewhere.... where he won't be able to get into anymore trouble.. to punish him for his unspeakable insolence.” 

“Punish him?” The words spilled from his lips as if to mock her. “Punish him for what? He hadn't done anything!” 

Lily ran a hand through her hair, and shook her head softly, “now you know that isn't true. He wanted to give you that nasty little pill that would have made you sick, and you don't even want to know how many patients lives he's destroyed, not to mentioned killed. I normally don't get involved.” She turned and paced the kitchen floor. 

“You see, it's not my job to punish anyone for evil doing and sentence them to eternal damnation or whatever it is the..” she pointed up to the ceiling, “..powers that be do when they want to teach someone a lesson. But then he targeted you, and I simply couldn't allow that. I was afraid I'd have to stop you from taking them, but you're so smart... I never make a mistake in that regard,” she said, smiling. 

“If you aren't going to kill me.. can you please tell me what you did to me the other night, and why you left me that bottle..” 

She gave him a look as if she didn't understand why he was asking her such a question. “I only gave you what you asked me for, and I told you what it would cost you... don't you remember?” 

Kit gritted his teeth, “I didn't- I didn't ask you for anything could you stop talking to me in riddles and just tell me? And no I don't remember anything! Nothing!” He finally stood up from leaning back against the counter, to face her. “Am I going to end up like him?” 

Lily didn't answer. Her eyes grew dark, as if she were offended, and she looked down at the floor. 

He grew bolder. If she wasn't going to kill him, then certainly he had a right to ask questions. “What are you?” 

She looked up then, yet still sullen, “I'm the reason you exist, Kit.” 

“What does that mean?” he cried, grabbing his head. “You did something to me that night, you drugged me, put me into a trance, I woke up alone. And then you.. you made me imagine all of it didn't you? None of it was real..” 

“All of it was real, Kit.” 

“But HOW!?” he asked, “that building is abandoned, how else could it be real, what I saw, unless you made me believe it was?” 

She sighed, “Kit.... you haven't eaten, and you need to. Please... if you think I mean you harm, you're wrong. Please just sit down and eat your... food. And then we'll talk.” 

Lily took another step toward him, and this time he didn't flinch when she touched his face. Instantly he was calmer, and then as if on cue, the timer on the microwave went off. 

Kit was so caught up in the moment, and whatever spell she'd cast on him, that he didn't even stop to think that it had been over 6 minutes, since they'd been standing there talking, but he'd only set the microwave for 2.


End file.
